Online Health, Fitness, Nutrition and Wellness Magazine

Guest Post – John Chandley, Is Your Office Damaging Your Health?

According to recent data from the CDC, more than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese and 17% of American children are obese.

The CDC also noted that “Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.”

It’s safe to say that being obese is the most dangerous threat to your health.

We’re no doubt aware that some major causes of obesity are overeating and inactivity, but a very dangerous culprit we

The CDC also noted that “Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.”

rarely pay attention to is sitting.

Whether you’re an adult working a 9-5 or you’re a child still in school, there’s every probability that you spend twice as much time sitting compared to standing.

This alone is a huge cause for obesity and poor health.

Unfortunately, by spending most of your time sitting, even exercising a lot won’t have a major impact on your health.

Here are some insights on how dangerous sitting can be to your health:

• By sitting for more than 6 hours on average every day, you’re 40% more likely to die 15 years earlier than someone who only sits less than 3 hours a day. It puts things in perspective when you consider the fact that the average human being sits more than 9 hours every day.

• It has been observed that obese people sit for at least 2.5 hours more than thin people.

• People with sitting jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease as people with standing jobs.

• Sitting 3 hours or more daily watching TV increases your chances of dying from heart disease by 64%. Even by exercising, those who sit 3 hours a day watching TV are just as obese as those who sit the same hours but don’t exercise.

The above points are based on real studies and you can find more about them here.

When we consider the fact that the average American worker has to sit for at least 8 hours a day, it’s easy to see how much of a problem sitting has contributed to the society as far as obesity and major health problems is concerned.

When even exercising would hardly help, what can you do?

Here are a few tips to help you overcome major problems that come with sitting:

1. Always look for an excuse to stand: Since you spend most of your time at the office sitting, it’s only natural to be obese.

When you combine the time you spend sitting in the office with the time you spend sitting at home, then it’s easy to see why so many people are obese.

Always look for an excuse to stand, at home and in the office. Don’t use your office break period to sit and chat with co-workers; spend it standing or taking a walk instead. Also, even during working hours make sure you stand and exercise your body a little at any chance you’ve got.

2. Don’t use the elevator: The more activity in your legs and the more calories you burn, the healthier you become. Seemingly insignificant actions like using the elevator at every opportunity can serve as fuel to keep you healthy; when you have the option to take the stairs or use the lift, always go for the stairs except it’s an emergency. Not only will you be able to keep yourself walking and climbing for a longer period of time, you’ll also burn a lot of calories as a result.

3. You don’t always have to board a vehicle: Whether you want to go to the mall, your place of work or even the nearest library, it’s easy to want to board a vehicle. Unfortunately, when you do this you have to sit again.
You can reduce how much time you spend sitting by walking instead or, if the distance is too long for a walk, by cycling.

4. Use a standing desk: When we look at major problems that come with sitting and how they can be associated with the office, it’s easy to think that those who work from home will have the upper hand.

No, they don’t!

If you work at home you have 24/7 access to your kitchen, access to various snacks and you almost find it difficult to resist the urge to keep putting things in your mouth. Since you’ll also have access to a computer and the internet, you’ll often find yourself spending hours on Email, Facebook and chat without knowing this; all these add up, and it’s often on your sit.

By using a standing desk, however, you’ll be more active compared to when you sit and you’ll also experience little pain to keep you on track so you can focus on the activities that matter and know when to call it quits.

– John Chandley is a weight loss professional and expert writer who often reviews the most effective diet for weight loss.